1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a handy communication terminal in which a user can select an order of displaying telephone numbers stored in a memory equipped with the handy communication terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional handy communication terminal, telephone numbers are displayed in various orders. For instance, telephone numbers are displayed in a display unit of a handy communication terminal in an alphabetical order, an order of being stored in a memory, in groups, in an order of dialing, or in an order of frequencies of making a call or receiving a call.
For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 11-110407 has suggested a mobile communication terminal in which telephone numbers are displayed in a display screen in an order of being stored into a telephone directory registration table.
Japanese Patent No. 2919395 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-145828) has suggested a radio-signal selective-calling system which puts a calling number at the head of signals to be transmitted, when data to be transmitted is made first, and then, a calling number is selected.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-327444 has suggested a radio-signal communication device which receives data from a base station, and outputs the received data when a certain key is actuated.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-134311 has suggested a method of making a telephone directory in a cellular phone, including the steps of making telephone directory data by means of a personal computer, and transmitting the telephone directory data to a cellular phone through e-mail such that the cellular phone can use the telephone directory data without any changes.
In the above-mentioned conventional devices and methods, an order of displaying telephone numbers stored in a memory equipped with a communication device is kept fixed. For instance, telephone numbers are displayed in an order being stored into the communication device.
However, a user often makes a call to different persons in accordance with an area in which the user presently visits, a day of the week, or a time. Hence, if an order of displaying telephone numbers is kept fixed, it is quite inconvenient for a user when he/she makes a call.
In view of the above-mentioned problems in the conventional communication devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device in which a user can change an order of displaying telephone numbers, and display telephone numbers in a display screen in accordance with a mode the user selected.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of displaying telephone numbers in a communication terminal which method allows a user to do the same.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication terminal including (a) a memory which stores telephone numbers input into the handy communication terminal, (b) a display unit which displays the telephone the, and (c) a controller which displays modes each of which determines a specific order of displaying the telephone the in the display unit, and displays the telephone the in the display unit in accordance with a mode selected by a user.
It is preferable that the controller assigns a priority to each of the modes, and displays the telephone numbers in accordance with a mode having a higher priority than others.
For instance, the modes include a mode by which a specific order of displaying the telephone numbers is determined in accordance with a time, a mode by which a specific order of displaying the telephone numbers is determined in accordance with a day of the week, and a mode by which a specific order of displaying the telephone numbers is determined in accordance with an area in which the communication terminal is used.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of displaying telephone numbers in a communication terminal, including the steps of (a) stores telephone numbers in the handy communication terminal, (b) selecting a mode in accordance with which an order of displaying the telephone numbers is determined, and (c) displaying the telephone numbers in the order in a display unit of the communication terminal.
The method may further include the step of determining an order of displaying the telephone numbers in each of the modes.
The method may further include the step of assigning a priority to each of the modes such that the telephone numbers is displayed in accordance with a mode having a higher priority than others.
It is preferable that the step (b) includes the steps of (b1) displaying a mode-selection inquiry for asking a user which mode the user selects, (b2) inputting a time at which a first mode starts and ends, if the user selects the first mode in the step (b1), and (b3) selecting an order of displaying the telephone numbers while the first mode is in operation.
It is preferable that the step (b) includes the steps of (b1) displaying a mode-selection inquiry for asking a user which mode the user selects, (b2) selecting an area in which the telephone numbers is arranged in accordance with a specific order, if the user selects a second mode in the step (b1), and (b3) selecting an order of displaying the telephone numbers while the second mode is in operation.
It is preferable that the step (b) includes the steps of (b1) displaying a mode-selection inquiry for asking a user which mode the user selects, (b2) selecting a day of the week in which the telephone numbers is arranged in accordance with a specific order, if the user selects a third mode in the step (b1), and (b3) selecting an order of displaying the telephone numbers while the third mode is in operation.
It is preferable that the step (b) includes the steps of (b1) displaying a mode-selection inquiry for asking a user which mode the user selects, (b2) assigning a priority to each of modes, and (b3) selecting an order of displaying the telephone numbers while each of the modes is in operation.
The advantages obtained by the aforementioned present invention will be described hereinbelow.
In accordance with the present invention, a user can select a mode in accordance with which an order of displaying telephone numbers in a display screen is determined. Hence, a user can readily select a target telephone number when a telephone directory is used. Thus, the present invention enhances serviceability of the communication terminal.
The above and other objects and advantageous features of the present invention will be made apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the drawings.